US increasing security aid allocated to Baltic states - Estonian MEP

TALLINN – Estonian MEP Riho Terras announced on social media that the US Congress is increasing the security aid allocated to the Baltic states to 225 million dollars, the daily Postimees reported on Tuesday.

Since 180 million dollars of security aid to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania was planned for 2022, this is a significant leap, Terras said.

"US support for NATO's eastern flank allies is crucial for our security and defense cooperation! Together with the increase in the general price level, the prices of armaments have also increased and the prices are further increased by the sharply increased demand, which is due to the war started by Russia in Ukraine. Thus, additional US support is essential," Terras said according to Postimees.

The MEP added that it is namely thanks to the security assistance from the US that Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have been able to implement several of their military infrastructure and capability development projects faster than planned.

According to him, the main focus has been on the areas of special operations, air defense, ammunition stocks and maritime situational awareness. As a new priority, the Baltic states, with the support of the US, want to jointly develop long-distance indirect fire capability.

In addition to US security aid, the presence of US armed forces in the Baltic Sea region has grown significantly. 

"US reinforcements for our region as a whole include F-35 fighter jets, AH-64 attack helicopters, Patriot air defense systems, and the deployment of troops in the Baltic Sea region. Immediately after hostilities intensified in Ukraine, three US F-35 stealth fighters and other aircraft arrived at the Amari Air Base," Terras said on Facebook.